Links between the force and the city is indisputable, with thousands of families having some sort to the Navy, either in the past or present. Many of the Navy’s ships are based at Portsmouth Naval Base.
This includes huge aircraft carriers, advanced destroyers, frigates, smaller Archer-class vessels, patrol ships and experimental vessels. Even now, the Royal Navy is continuing to expand its fleets to try and protect the nation’s interests across the globe and at home.
Many of these vessels are forward deployed on operations in the Middle East and the Pacific.
Here is every Portsmouth-based ship.
1. HMS Queen Elizabeth (RO8)
HMS Queen Elizabeth is the largest and most powerful vessel at the Royal Navy's disposal. It has state-of-the-art weapons and communication systems, and has the capability to carry 40 aircraft. Photo: Chris Moorhouse
2. HMS Prince of Wales (RO9)
The £3.2bn aircraft carrier and Nato flagship weighs 65,000 tonnes and can carry a crew of 700. On deployment, 40 holicopters can be carried and embarked. Photo: LISA FERGUSON
3. HMS Duncan (D37)
HMS Duncan is a Type 45 destroyer which has a ship's company of over 280 personnel. In 2019, she was deployed alongside French aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle on Operation Inherent Resolve. The vessel provided to the Carrier Strike Group GAN 19 during operations against ISIS off the coast of Syria. Photo: Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images
4. HMS Dragon (D35)
HMS Dragon has sailed over 7,000 nautical miles and has a crew of over 200. She was previously part of Operation Westlant, which put the ships in the Carrier Strike Group through its paces on the eastern seaboard of America. Photo: L(Phot) Dave Jenkins